Blowing Raspberries

I posted this video on Facebook a month ago because I couldn't figure out how to get it onto my blog. Now that I'm becoming a tiny bit more computer savvy I've figured out a way to do it. Sorry if you've already seen it, but my blog is my live journal. 

As before, click here to see this video. Watching it again it's crazy how much she moved and chattered then, but how much she has changed in just a month! Love this girl!

(If you get this in an email then either watch the video directly from my facebook page from April, or go to my blog at smitty2hay.blogspot.com )

**Sorry for the post overload tonight. Justin is out playing basketball, Joce is asleep and I've had some catching up to do. Love you all!

Craftiness

My desire to get a rug to spice up Jocelynn's room and stay within a reasonable budget led me on a crocheting adventure. This wasn't what I originally intended, I took about a month break and didn't make it as big as I'd planned because I was tired of crocheting the flowers together, but in the end I'm pretty proud of it. I think it turned out pretty well! 

After the rug I quickly turned a shower curtain into some blackout curtains. They're a bit rough, but do the trick, blacking out the long hours of sun that are just starting so that Joce thinks it's nighttime! 

Decorating for a friend's baby shower also got me started making tissue paper poufs, which are super cute and sooo easy! 

After a break from my rug I got back into the crocheting spirit. I had made a beanie for my first nephew, which turned out pretty cute I think (that isn't this picture, just so you know I'm not crazy). We have another nephew coming this summer who's parents are avid football players so I attempted to copy a design I saw on Pintrest of a football helmet beanie. The ear flaps didn't turn out like I wanted no matter how I tried so I decided I'd just let it be a hat for Jocelynn...not remembering that I'd made it to fit a 0-3 month head. Go ahead, laugh...I did.  Maybe someday I'll figure it out, but in the meantime I have a beanie for my next baby...in a long time :) 

I'm not the most creative or polished of crafty people, but I am learning and getting better, and that's a good thing. 

Desoto

While spring has been on its way here our other "child" has been having some Alaska experiences as well as our precious babe. Now I have to be honest, sometimes I've really needed to take a deep breath before I get mad at him, but for the most part we've had a great spring and I love having him around.

Watching the geese and enjoying the sun in the backyard 

My attempt to get him to wipe his feet...yep, you read that right.  With practically white carpet and a muddy backyard I've ended up with more paw prints on the carpet than I prefer, like any are preferable. Notice his paws aren't all ON the rug...it's a work in progress but he's getting the hang of it in his own way.

He also has to sit on the rug until his paws are dry, so he's getting good at the "stay" command. I'm such an ornery mom. :) 

Walks through all the great parks up here are a must! With and without friends Jocelynn, Desoto and I (and sometimes Justin) have hit the paths. He loves it as always and is quickly making friends, though they may be complete opposites. 

Every day around 4:45ish Desoto takes his position by the window waiting for his best friend to get off work. I have no idea how he knows what time it is, but I do know he's one smart dog! It makes me feel so bad when Justin doesn't get home right after 5!

Sleeping next to his favorite person.  Desoto takes the opportunity to cuddle anytime Justin lays on the floor. If only we let him sleep in our bed, ha!

Pure Joy

After a pretty long day for Joce and I she gave me a moment of pure joy, because she was experiencing it herself. (Realize that what happened in this video was all her and no prompts from me).  To those moments when we crack ourselves up or find something that make us so happy that we can't help but giggle...

I had to post the video on Facebook because it was too big to load on here, so check it out here.  

(If you get this in an email then I guess the videos don't work very well. Either check out the video directly on my facebook page or go to my blog and click on the link. smitty2hay.blogspot.com )

The Breakup

What is referred to as "The Breakup" here in Alaska is the process with the snow melting and everything drying up. It has its own name because it can be such a big deal when everything turns into a huge lake/marsh. But, here we are it's Cinco de Mayo! And today it was 52 degrees!  haha, I know that sounds silly, but that's doing good for us and we went without jackets! 

Anyway, we've been trying to stay busy and keep ourselves sane while we're waiting for the ground to thaw and in the process we've been doing whatever to keep ourselves busy.

On Kids Day we went to the Alaska Air Museum and had a nice taste of the history of flight up here, which is a big deal since there are still many areas you can only get to by plane. 

Joce has been growing and getting stronger and stronger. She's also been needing to do better with naps and sleeping longer through the nights (for all of our sakes). During one of our "sleep training" days where she didn't want to sleep I left her sitting up in her crib and found her like this....hahahaha!  I fixed her, don't worry, but had to laugh and not before I took this picture, of course. 

Bundling up to go on one of our walks with Desoto. 

One day we planned to go on a walk but didn't have a leash so basked in the sunshine from the backyard.  

We have made some great friends up here, who all have kids as well. Jocelynn has been around them for a while now but until lately hasn't really shown much interest in them. Now she's fascinated by them and getting so excited to be around them. Our little girl is growing up!

 

This is probably one of my favorite times of the day...snuggling, playing and laughing in the morning.  

First time in a high chair! All she wanted to do was eat the edge of the table :) 

Hanging out in the sunshine! She hasn't really known the warmth of the sun from outside her whole life, but we're getting there! 

While hanging out the other night one of our friends had the idea of re-creating the Rugrats scene...remember that show?! The kids didn't really know what to do with it at first but had a lot of fun in there after a little bit. Maybe they were on to something...nah, they're too much fun outside the cage :)

 

Jocelynn's first swimming experience outside the bathtub was in our friend's hot tub after the kids were "Rugrats."  She just laid back, floated and kicked her feet. She loved it and looked so cute in her swimsuit too! We'll definitely be swimming more often!

Life is good!

Loving 6 Months

Jocelynn joined our little family 6 months ago! It's crazy how fast time is flying and at the same time it feels like just yesterday we were in the hospital. I'm sure I'll say that in 20 years too (:

She's our little sweetheart and I want to remember everything about her right at this moment.

How her smiles melt my heart.

How her piercing eyes are always watching and ready to give you a smile at the first chance she gets.

How peacefully she sleeps

How she loves to laugh and squeal

And eat

How she holds my face in her hands anytime I hold her and snuggling her in the morning. 

How I love being her Mom.

This relationship...and how her feet constantly move and/or rub together when she's hanging out or going to sleep, just like her Dad.

How she has no fear, even with a giant dog in the house and how we make them be friends.

How excited she is to see me in the morning, no matter how we both slept.

How she shrieks and kicks her legs so hard when she's excited, with or without anyone around.

 Her chipmunk cheeks...LOVE them

 

 How she's starting to "cheese" when the camera is on her

Sorry if that's picture overload, but I just can't get enough of our sweet little one. We are so blessed and are quite the little happy family.